Typewriting machine



ma 19 1926 mw m w. E. NELSON TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 1923 mu /7mm Z M/M y 'Aff Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES 4 1,603,790 PATENT oFFicEQ WILLIAM Enwnan NELSON, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, nssronon "r UNDER- WOOD TYPEWRITER COMPANY; OF NEW WARE.

YORK, N, -Y., A CORPORATION OF DELL-- TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application filed September 1, 1923.- Serial No. 660,490.

This invention relates to typewriting machines, and more particularly to continu ous billingtypewriting machines, one form of which is shown in the patent to Werne & Smith, No. 1,132,055, dated March 16, 1915.

In practice, such machines are used for typing bills or the like, and simultaneously making carbon-copies thereof, on continu- ,ous plies or sheets in superposed relation and either separate from each other or joined at their edges to form a web, such, for example, as a fan-folded web. After such typing of a bill, the used portions of the web-are severed along transverse hues from the unused portion'of the web, and, in case 'of the use of a fan-folded web, the superposed plies of the severed portions are also severed.

In the case of the fan-folded web, the plies are all of the same material, and, in

- view of the fact that it would be too expensive to have the carbon-copies on expensive paper, the original bill is usually typed on a comparatively poor grade of paper and is liable to present an unattractive appearance, especially if much handled. Furthermore, the severing of the blll may result in rough edges. Also, in case of'superposed plies which are entir'elyseparate, although the ply on which the orlginal bill is typed may be made of a better grade than the others, it may be soiled by handling, and also the bills may have rough edges resulting from severing them over the usual knife. It is desirable, therefore, to use separate bills for the originals, and the coples may be made on comparatively cheap paper, either in separate plies or in a fanfolded web.

Furthermore, in the use of separate blllS, if one is soiled it may be discarded and another inserted, whereas, in the case of a continuous web for the original, it would be necessary to use a soiled portion of the web or to discard both the soiled section of the web for the original and the corresponding portions of the other webs or plies. This would also result in interference with the usual operation of the mach ne.

A feature of the present invention consists in the provision of an im roved machine in which bills or the li e .may be typed upon any desired kind or size of worksheet, and ,CQI'b'QII COP'IES may be made s above the Wri g multaneously upon the usual web of superposed plies which may be severed as required.

According to the present invention, the superposed web-plies and associated carbon-sheets may be advanced to a suflicient extent by the platen and a bill or the like superposed thereon to receive the ribbonimpressions of the .ty' ing, and the webplies and associated bil then shifted rearwardly by the platen to typing position. To effect this result, provision may be made of feed-rolls topress against the platen line and below the edge of the usual knife. Inasmuch as the knife is usually positioned rather close to the printing line, the feed-rolls may be so located and the knife so constructed that the feed-rolls engage the platen through openings in the. knife. Preferably such feedrolls are journaled in arms mounted on a transverse shaft, having at the left of the platen-frame a handle by which such feedrolls may be castoff, the handle being for convenience on the same side of the carriage as the handle for releasing the usual platen-displacing frame. Preferably the special feed-roll-cast-oif handle is so constructed and arranged that, upon displacing placed upwardly to a' slight extent, for a reason to be brought out hereinafter. The bill is then placed over the upwardly-extending ends of the web-plies and associated carbon-sheets with its lower end resting in the throat between the special feed-rolls and the platen, and the platen is then turned rearwardly until the bill and web-plies are brought to the properositionfor typing.

-While such rearward; ceding of the web .plies and carbon-sheets is being effected, the" platen is held in a-dis-Elaeed position, so that the lower edge of the ill will strike thenslrtil) :11 aper-apron at the bottom of the platen and e guided rearwardly thereby. The platen may then be restored to its normal position and typing effected in the ordinary way, the operation being repeated as many times as there are bills to be typed.

Inasmuch as the rearward feeding of the webplies and the bill superposed on the forwar ends thereof is effected while the platen is displaced upwardly, the forward feeding of the web-plies may be effected either before or after displacing the platen in such manner. Obviously, the amount of slack introduced in the web-plies between the special feed-rolls and the carbon-carrier, when the web-plies and a superposedbill are fed rearwardly by the platen, may be reduced by. displacing the platen to the desired extent before feeding the web-plies lfgfiward to the position for receiving the Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation, showing the invention applied to so much of .an Underwood continuous billing machine as is necessary for the purpose of il1ustration.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 1, certain parts being broken away for convenience.

Figure 3 is 'a view similar to Figure 1, showing the platen displaced and the special feed-rolls withdrawn therefrom as a result of such displacement.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustratin the effect of feeding rearwardly the web-p ies and associated bill when the platen is displaced upwardly to a sufficient extent to insure the insertion of the lower edge of the bill between the platen and the usual paper-apron. 4

A platen 11 is journaled by means of an axle 12 in the ends 13 of a platen-displacing frame, 14, said ends 13 being mounted to swin about a shaft 15 journaled in the ends 16 o a platen-frame 17 forming part of a traveling carriage 18. Normally the ends 13 rest on a shaft 19 journaled in the ends 16 of the platen-frame, and are held in such position by means of books 20 fixed on the shaft 19 and normally engaging pins 21 projecting from said ends 13. One of said hooks 20, preferably the one at the left, is provided with an extension or handle 22 by which the books 20 may be swung rearwardly to release the platen-displacing frame 14. The platen-frame 17 comprises a paper-table 23 raised at its rear edge to overlie the shaft 19, and extending beneath the platen. to provide a paper-apron 24 through which front and rear feed-rolls 25 and 26 engage the platen when the latter is in its normal position.

At the rear of the carriage 18 is a rearward extension or carbon-carrier track 27 having its forward end connected by brackets 28 with a cross-bar 29 of the carriage 18. The carbon-carrier track 27 com prises Eforwardly and rearwardly extending rods 30,. transverse rods or members 31 and 32 at the front and rear, respectively, and rails 33 with which co-operate grooved rolls 34 pivotally mounted on a carbon-car- 7 rier 35 in the usual manner. The carboncarrier 35 comprises a plate or member 36 on which are mounted the usual stepped blocks 37 to support carbon-holders 38. At its rear the extension 27 is also provided with a usual guide-rod 39 and side-edge gages 40.

The ends 13 of the platen-displacig frame are connected in the usual manner by a paper-table41, and a gage bar or staff 42 is secured to the table 41 and provided with a usual leading-edge gage 43 to be secured thereto at any desired position by means of a set-screw 44. Provision is also made of a knife 45 pivot-ally mounted by means of arms 46 on the platen axle 12. Said knife may be mounted and controlled substantially as disclosed in the patent to J. A.

B. Smith, No. 1,281,087, dated October 8, 1918. I

Mounted on the ends of the platen axle 12 are gears 47 which mesh with broad gears 48 fixed on the shaft 15, and said gears 48 also mesh with gears 49 mounted on the inner end of stub-shafts 50 journaled in the ends 16 of the platen-frame, so that the platen may be actuated either by finger-wheels 51 fixed on the outer ends of the stub-shafts 50. or by means of usual line-spacing mechanism including a handle 52 and a ratchet-wheel 53 fixed on the stub-shaft 50 atthe left of the carriage. Normally the platen axle 12 is in alignment with the stub-shafts 50, and the. arrangement is such that the connection between the gears 47 and 48 is maintained when the platen-displacing frame 14 is swung upwardly and forwardly to bring the papertable 41 thereon into engagement with a cushion or abutment 54 on a front bar 55 forming part of the carriage 18. The structure thus far described is substantially the same as that in machines in common use.

According to the present invention it is proposed to advance web-plies 56, forming part of a composite web 57, and carbonsheets' 58, associated with said web-plies 56, upwardly beyond the printing line suficiently to permit a sepa ate bill or the like 59 to be placed thereon, and the pack thus formed fed rearwardly around the platen preparatory to typing on the bill 59, and simultaneously making carbon copies on the web-plies 56. Only two web-plies 56 and two carbon-sheets 58 are shown in Figure 1,.

and the carbon-sheet 58 on the lower carbonholder 38 lies to the front of the outside webply 56 at the printing line. Obviously any.

number of web-plies 56 may be used, but."in all cases, a carbon-sheet 58 extends around the platen outside of the outer web ply 56, so

tioned very slightly above the rinting line,

and provision is therefore ma e of suitable cutouts 64 in the knife through which the special feed-rolls engage the platen. To press the special feed-rolls into engagement with the platen, provision is made of a helical spring 65 attached at one end to the lefthand bracket 63' and at the other end to a collar 66 fixed on the shaft. To rotate the shaft 62 in a direction to withdraw the special feed-rolls from the platen, provision is made of a handle 67 fixed on the left end of guides or paper-fingers the shaft 62, so that either this handle or the handle 22 may be actuated conveniently by the left hand of the typist.

The handle 67 is also so arranged that,

when the platen-displacing frame 14 isswung upwardly and forwardly to its limiting position, shown in Figure 3, the handle 67 engages the front bar 55 of the traveling carriage 18 and causes the special feed-rolls to be withdrawn from the platen, thereby avoiding interference with the relative shifting of the web-pl es 56 and carbon-sheets 58,

as illustrated in Figure 3. It will be evident that, in case the knife-is swung downwardly, as described in said Patent No. 1,281,087, the special feed-rolls will be swung away from the platen. Obviously, if the shaft were placed higher in a. direction parallel to the paper-table 41, the special feed-rolls could be withdrawn from the platen more rapidly than with the present-location of the shaft.

In, practice the composite web 57 is advanced around the platen to expose above the knife an untyp'ed portion on which the billsheet maybe placed and then aligned by means of the special feed-rolls. The laten is then reversely rotated to feed the we and bill downwardly past the printing point to a position to begin typing on the bill, the bottom edge of the sheet passing behind .68, of substantially the, same form as shown in said Patent No. 1,281,087, and being guided thereby behind the typeziguide 69. In order to cause the bottom'e ge .of the .bill 59 .to -pass' between the forward edge of the paper-apron 24 and the platen 11, the platen may be swung to a slight extent upwardly from its normal position to cause the bottom edge of the bill to engage the paper-apron, to the rear of its forward edge, as shown in Figure 4. Typing may be effected on the bill and the sectional web-plies associated therewith when the bill and theweb-plies have been reversely fed to a suflicient extent and the platen returned to its normal position.

After'the typing on the bill has been completed, the bill may be removed either by feeding it beyond the control of the special feed-rolls 60 or by throwing off the special feed-rolls by means of the controlling handle 67 therefor. The platen-displacing frame may then be swung forwardly to the position shown in Figure 3, the carbon-sheets retfracted and the web-plies advanced to the leading-edge gage preparatory to tearing off the used sections of the web-plies. The platendisplacing frame may then be restored to its normal posit on and the same operation repeated for each bill. to be typed.

In introducing a short work-sheet into the machine the lower edge of such sheet is led bottom edge downwardly between the platen and the feed-rolls 60 as usual, but the platen remains in normal position as indicated in Figure 1. As the sheet is fed downwardly the bottom edge thereof is deflected away from the type-guide 69 by means of the paper-fingers 68 and then passes in front of the forward edge of the paper-table 23. The short sheet is not fed around the platen but is disposed in substantially fiat condition at the front of, and tangent to, the platen.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

1. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, a carriage, a platen "around which web-plies and associated carbon-sheets may be fed, platen-displacing means for lifting the platen to permit the web-plies and carbon-sheets to be straightened thereunder, feed-rolls to engage said platen above the printing line, and means actuated by the platen-displacing means to automatically withdraw said feed-rolls from the platen entirely .below the same to permit easy relative shifting of the web-plies and carbonsheets preparatory to usmg the carbonsheets with an unused section of said webplies.

2. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, a carriage having a front rail, a platen around which web-plies and. associ-' 1 ated carbon-sheets may be fed, platen-displacing means for lifting the platen to permit th web-plies and carbon-sheets to be stra ghtened thereunder, feed-rolls to engage of the carriage and rendered effective thereby to cast off said feed rolls.

3. In a typewriting machine, a revoluble platen, a knife pivoted to swing about the axis of the platen and having openings therein, feed-rolls to engage the platen through said openings, and means for yieldably urging said feed-rolls into engagement with the platen, the knife being effective to ck from its effecmove the feed-rolls away from the platen when said knife is swung tive position.

4. In a typewrit-ing machine, a revoluble platen around which may be fed web-plies and associated carbon-sheets, a knife above the printing line for severing the used sections of the web-plies after a relative shifting of the web-plies and carbon-sheets to associate. the latter with the next unused section of the web-plies, said knife having portions thereof cut away to provide recesses, and feed-rolls engaging said platen through the recesses of said knife and above said printing line for feedin downwardly a separate work-sheet intro uced between the knife and the pack formed by said webplies and carbon-sheets.

5. In a typewriting machine, a platen, feed-devices to co-operate with the bottom of the platen, a paper-apron 'at the bottom of the platen, special feeding means co-operating with the laten above the printing line for feeding ownwardly a work-sheet inserted bottom edge first at the delivery side of the platen, means for displacing the platen upwardly from said paper-apron to cause the bottom edge of said work-sheet to pass between the forward edge of the paper-apron and the laten, and means rendered automatically e ective by said platendisplacing means, upon a maximum displacement of the platen, to cast off said special feeding means entirely below said platen.

6. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage, a swing-frame pivoted on each end of said carriage, and a platen mounted in said frame to be swung upwardly for separating a section of the web-plies and associated carbon-sheets passing around said platen, of

said platen aknife-blade extending along h avin cutadjacent its rinting line an outs in its si e opposite the cutting e go, a

shaft having its ends supported on said frame, a plurality of downwardly-extending arms fastened on said shaft, a feed-roll rotatably mounted on the free end of each of said arms for engagement in said cutouts and against the web-plies around said platen, a spring around said shaft normally pressing said rolls against said plies, and automatic means for rotating said shaft and swinging said feed-rolls away from said platen downwardly below the same prior to separating the section of said web-plies and associated carbon-sheets for severing the section of said web-plies by said blades.

7. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, a platen around which may be fed .web-plies and associated carbon-sheets, of

which one is outside of the outer web-ply, feed-rolls to co-operate with the bottom of the platen for feeding said web-plies and carbon-sheets, means for displacing the platen to permit relative shifting of the web-plies and carbon-sheets, means for retracting the carbon-sheets into position for use with an unused section of the web-plies, means, including special feed-rolls immediately above the printing line, for feeding downwardly to a typing position worksheets placed on an advanced portion of the web-plies, and means actuated automatically by said platen-displacing means, upon maximum movement of the latter for casting ofi said special feed-rolls below the platen to prevent interference thereby with the relative shifting of the web-plies and carbon-sheets, said casting-off means being arranged so as not to begin operating automatically until substantial completion of the movement of said displacing means.

8. In a continuous billing typewritnig machine, a platen, a knife immediately above the rinting line and having openings thereln, and feed-rolls engaging said platen through said openings for feeding downwardly a work-sheet introduced bottom edge first between the knife and the platen.

9. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, a platen, a knife immediately above the printing line and having openings therein, feed-rolls engaging said platen through said openings for feeding downwardly a work-sheet introduced bottom edge first between the knife and the platen, and upwardly-extending paper-fingers at the front of the platen flared upwardly at their upper edges to assist in guiding the bottom edge of said work-sheet downwardly at the front of the platen.

10. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, a cylindrical platen, a knife extending therealong and having openings therein to give access to the platen, and feed-rolls engaging the platen through said openings.

11. In a continuous billing typewritim mach ne, a p aten around which may be f having openings therein, feed-rolls on said frame and engaging the platen through said openings for holding said web-plies against the platen above the writing line, and means automatically rendering said feed-rolls inelfective when said platen-displacing frame is operated.

13. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, the combination with acarriage, a

swing-frame pivoted on each end of said carriage, and a platen mounted in said frame to be swung upwardly for separating a section of the web-plies and associated carbon-sheets, both passing around the platen, of a shaft having its ends supported on said frame, a plurality of downwardlyextending arms fastened on said shaft, a feed-roll rotatably mounted on the free end of each of said arms for engagement against the web-plies around said 1platen, a sprin around said shaft normal y pressing said rolls against said plies, and automatic means for rotating said shaft and swinging said feed-rolls away from said platen, nor to the relative movement of the web-p ies and associated carbon-sheets, said means including an upwardly-extending handle fastened on said shaft and arranged to be swun down against the front bar-portion of sai carriage upon swinging said platen upwardly.

1a. In a machine for typing upon a continuous work-web, the combination with a revoluble platen and a paper-apron therebeneath, of feed-rolls normally bearing against the platen adjacent the printing line for guiding web-plies interleaved with carbons, and a separate work-sheet introduced downardly at the front of the platen between the web and the feed-rolls, and a swingframe formoving the platen upwardly and rearwardly from saidpaper-apron to permit the bottom edge of the separate worksheet to engage the apron to cause said worksheet to be deflected rearwardly beneath the platen when the combined web-plies and work-sheet are fed downwardly, and means effective upon the com lete upward andrearward swing of said rame to automatlcally 7 release the feed-rolls and straighten out the web-pliesv whereby said separate work-sheet may be removed and the web-phes pulled forwardly while the carbons are held stationary.

15. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, the combination with a platen around which a plurality of web-plies and associated carbon-sheets may be fed, and means for displacing said platen upwardly, of a knife displaceable with said platen and extending lengthwise of the same above the printing line thereof, and having a plurality of cutouts in its lower edge, feed-rolls disposed in said cutouts and normally engaging the web-plies disposed around said platen and under said knife, and means for moving said feed-rolls downwardly away from said platen, and positioning the upper edge of said feed-rolls slightly above the blade of said knife, so that the carbon as sociated with the web-plies may be freely moved straight to the rear between said platen and said knife without binding or rubbing on said knife.

16. In a machine for typing upon a continuous work-web, in combination, a revoluble platen around which may be fed a separate work-sheet which will overlie said workweb, a swing-frame arranged for moving said platen upwardly and rearwardly a small amount, a shaft on said swing-frame, feedrolls mounted on said shaft and arranged for holding said separate work-sheet against said platen when the latter is in-its normal I revoluble platen aroundwhich may be fed I web-plies and associated carbons, a swingframe for the platen, a paper-apron beneath the platen and a type-guide, of feed-rolls to engage said platen at the introductory side thereof and above the printing line whereby to feed downardly short worksheets placed on an advanced portion of said web-plies, paper-fingers adjacent the type-guide for, directing said sheets between the forward edge of said paper-apron and the type-guide whereby to permit said sheets toifeed ownwardly substantially vertical below the printing line, and means automatically effective to release said feed-rolls from the platen when said swing-frame is moved to straighten. out the web-plies preliminary to carbon-stripping operations, said feed-rolls being alsojointly removable at i will from said platen while it is in normal osition for positioning said short works eets.

18. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, the combination with a swingframe, a rotatable platen mounted in said swing-frame, and a paper-apron belowsaid, platen, of a work-sheet-holding device, including a shaft supported on said swingframe above said platen and parallel thereto, a plurality of downwardly-depending arms fastened on said shaft, a feed-roll mounted in the lower end of each of said arms for engaging a work-sheet against said platen when the latter is in its normal position, and when it is swun upwardly to a position so that the front edge of the platen is a short distance to the rear of the front edge of said apron, whereupon said worksheet will engage the latter when fed downwardly, and a handle on said shaft manually .said a there rom.

eeann operable for swingingall of said feed-rolls away from said platen, said handle also engaging a frame-portion of said machine to be automatically operated upon maximum upward movement of said swing-frame.

I 19. In a continuous billing typewriting machine, the combination with a. platen, and means for displacing said platen upwardly, of feed-rolls engaging said platen above the printing line for holding a work-sheet thereagainst, and means manually operable at will for jointly disengaging said feed-rolls from said platen while the latter is in normal position, said means being also automaticaly actuated upon maximum displacement of laten for disengaging said feed-rolls WILL EDWARD NELSON. 

